The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Basketball Edition

A long time ago, I used to play basketball every single day. I’d stand in my parents’ driveway shooting baskets for hours. In high school, I gradually moved from completely terrible to reasonably good. In college, I dominated an intramural season (though my back would start hurting so badly that I’d have to quit in the third quarter of games).

Since then, I haven’t really picked up a basketball.

The other day, I was at our local community gym where I found a large basket of basketballs just sitting there, inviting me. I picked one up, dribbled it a bit, and took a shot.

Before I knew it, I had completely lost track of time. An hour and a half had passed and I was really sweaty, just from shooting baskets and running up and down the court by myself.

I can’t jump like I once did, and I sure can’t shoot like I once did, and I’m not as fast as I once was.

That doesn’t change the fact that it felt really good to hold that ball in my hands again.

Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them What interviewers are really looking for is how you would fit into the culture of the organization and how your skills would help the company. They don’t care about you. They care about the company. So, focus on how you would help the company, not how the company would help you. (@ good financial cents)

Higher Salary or Better Experience? Early in your career, before you have kids to put through college and so on, experience should win out. Later on, cash in on all of that built-up experience. The real challenge is when do you cross the line between the two. (@ squirrelers)

Thank you, Zig I read several tributes to Zig Ziglar this week. This was my favorite – short, sweet, and to the point. (@ seth godin)

Why I Gave Up Chasing Goals She didn’t really give up goals. She just gave up her old methods of trying to achieve them. I’m really tempted to write a response to this article, and I may do so in the future when the ideas codify in my head. (@ danielle laporte)

Books worth budgeting for

My new book, The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams, is available in bookstores now. Check out some of the life-changing experiences the book has given readers!

Check out my book, 365 Ways to Live Cheap, available in bookstores everywhere! It's filled with 365 great tactics you can apply to your personal finances, from frugal tips to great ideas for managing your money.